Roller Derby

Roller Derby Director - Danielle Krienert
dkrienert@usarollersports.org
402-483-7551 ext. 11

Roller derby is taking the sports world by storm as it continues to be the most rapidly growing sport! With well over 500 women’s leagues in 16 countries (all over North America, to Europe, Australia, and Brazil) it is definitely more than just a fad.  It is fun, yet highly competitive as it encompasses individuals of all shapes, sizes, and age.   

HISTORY

The term roller derby dates at least as far back as 1922.  Leo Seltzer, a film publicist, combined aspects of dance marathons (“walkathons” as they were commonly referred to) and roller skating into the first Transcontinental Roller Derby event in 1935.  It was originally a stimulation of cross-country roller skating where 25 two-person teams circled a track thousands of times to cover 3,000 miles.  Skaters skated up to 11 ½ hours a day, and were disqualified if both members were off the track during skating times.   After the first Transcontinental Roller Derby event, Seltzer decided to take a portable track and hold similar races throughout the U.S.  As the skaters tried to lap those in front of them, there were occasional collisions and crashes and this quickly become the most exciting part.  Realizing this, sportswriter, Damon Runyon, encouraged Seltzer to change the game to incorporate more physical contact between skaters.  Although Seltzer was somewhat leery of this, he agreed to try it and the fans loved it!  Over time, roller derby has evolved into a sport involving two teams of five skaters where teams score points by lapping members of the opposing team.    

HOW TO PLAY

Roller derby is a contact sport that is played on quad roller skates.  Players skate counter clockwise around an oval track.  Games, referred to as bouts, consist of two 30-minute periods.  Each period is divided into 2-minute long jams.  Teams can have five players on the track during each jam consisting of a pivot, jammer, and three blockers. 

Pivots wear a striped helmet cover and skate at the front of the pack; they set the pace and are the last line of defense.  Blockers work to keep the pack in a tight formation as they work to defend the opposing team’s jammer while also trying to assist their jammer through the pack safely.  They are largely responsible for the constant contact as they engage in checks and bumps.  Jammers wear the star helmet cover and are positioned at the back of the pack.  It is their job to work through the pack to score points by passing the opposing team’s skaters. 

A jam starts when the referee blows the whistle.  At that command, the pivots and blockers begin to roll forward.  The jammers begin racing through the pack at the second whistle (double blast).  The first jammer that gets through the pack without committing a penalty is the ‘lead jammer’.  After the initial pass the jammer is eligible to start scoring points.  A jammer receives one point for each player of the opposing team that they pass.  The ‘lead jammer’ has the option to stop or call off the jam before the full 2 minutes is up if they so desire. 

Derby is prevalent in the U.S. with women’s men’s, co-ed, and junior leagues utilizing one another to further expand the sport.  While it used to be predominately played on a flat track, more and more leagues are venturing to the banked track.  Most derby leagues use a DIY (do-it-yourself) mindset as they are run by the skaters.  It is common practice for leagues to participate in fundraising and community service projects.